Display case cornerpost



Nov. 1l, 1969 F. D. FULTON DISPLAY CASE CORNEROS'I' Filed July 24, -1967 FIG 6 if.

FIG.|

United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 52--28 8 'Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A display case cornerpost comprising an elongated receiver and cooperating retainer extending longitudinally of the adj-acent edges of a pair of glass plates that are to be fastened together to form adjacent walls of the display case, the receiver includes a rst pair of walls which cooperate to define a receptacle for receiving the adjacent edge of one of the plates and the extremityof the inner wall is forked to define a longitudinal notch having a flange bearing surface facing outwardly toward the outer wall, the receiver also includes a second pair of walls which cooperate to define a second receptacle for receiving the adjacent edge of the other glass plate and the extremity of the inner wall forms a notch defining a tongue retaining surface which faces outwardly toward the cooperating outer wall.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Field of invention The present invention relates generally to display case frames and more particularly to display case frame cornerposts which include two members that snap together to hold the marginal edges of a pair of adjacent glass plates captive.

Description of prior art Existing display case frames which include two mernbers that cooperate to hold the glass plates captive are generally of screwed-together type construction 4and are, accordingly, inconvenient to assemble because of the necessity of inserting several 'screws for each plate of glass that is to be retained.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The display case cornerpost of present invention includes a receiver having first and second pairs of w-alls which cooperate in pairs to form first and second receptacles for receiving the respective marginal edges of a pair of glass plates. The extremity of the inner wall of one pair of walls forms a flange bearing surface facing outwardly toward the cooperating outer wall and the extremity of the inner wall of the other pair of walls forms a tongue-receiving surface which faces outwardly toward the cooperating outer wall.

A retainer connects to the receiver and includes, a resilient bridging portion extending between the flange bearing and tongue-receiving surfaces, a flange for abutting the bearing surface, and a tongue for abutting the retaining surface, the bridge portion being of sufficient resiliency to flex suciently for the tongue, with the flange engaged with the flange bearing surface, to clear the end of the inner Wall of the other pair of walls and to cause it to be urged against the tongue-retaining surface thereby cooperating with the flange to maintain the retainer locked to the receiver. The retainer also includes first and second spacer portions projecting beyond the flange Iand tongue, respectively, and terminating in respective edges spaced a sufficient distance from the outer walls of the first and second pairs of walls, respectively,

3,477,182 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 to define first and second spaces for tightly receiving the respective plates of the pair of plates of glass.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display case utilizing cornerposts embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, in enlarged scale 'irdGlprtially broken away, taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 3 is a broken vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale and partially broken away, taken along the lines 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, in enlarged scale, of a colnerpost included in the display case shown in FIG. 1; an

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, in enlarged scale, of a corner fitting utilized in the display case shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The display case shown in FIG. l, 2 and 3 includes a frame comprised of front and re-ar vertical posts P and P', respectively, and front and rear longitudinal horizontal rails R and R', respectively. A pair of upper and lower end rails 11 and 12, respectively, connect the respective rails R and R', and posts P and P', together. The display case includes a glass top plate T, front plate F and a pair of glass end plates E. The back of the display case is covered by a pair of sliding wooden door panels D and the bottom is formed by a wooden bottom panel B. The front vertical posts P and P', as best seen in FIG. 5, are mirror images of one another and include a receiver and retainer, generally designated 13 and 15, respectively. The retainer 15 is secured to theV receiver 13 by means of a flange 21 and a cooperating tongue 23 which fit into a groove 29 and V-notch 31, respectively, formed in the receiver. The retainer 15 includes overhanging spacer portions 33 and 35 which terminate in edges 37 and 39, respectively, that are spaced from the inner surface of the opposing receiver outer walls l41 and -43, respectively, for receiving the thickness of the corresponding glass plates E or F.

With continued reference to FIG. 5, the receiver 13 includes a first pair of walls, one being the aforementioned horizontal, as viewed in FIG. 5, outer wall 41 and the other Abeing an inner wal145, such walls cooperating to define a receptacle 47 which opens to the left for receiving the vertical marginal edge of the glass front plate F (FIG. 2). A second pair of walls, one being the aforementioned vertical, as viewed in FIG. 5, outer wall 43 and the other being a parallel inner wall 51, cooperate to define a second plate-receiving receptacle 53 that opens upwardly, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, for receiving the vertical marginal edge of the associated glass and plate E. The walls 41, 45, 43 and 51 are connected together by a cross-member 55 which also forms the bottom of the receptacle 53 for being abutted bythe edges of the respective end plates E. The outer wall 41 includes a step 61 which defines a transverse stop and the inner wall 45 includes a projecting stop 63 aligned opposite the step 61, such step 61 and stop 63 being for abutting the adjacent edge of the front plate F. A square open-ended, longitudinal passage 67 is formed behind the receptacles 47 and 53, the purpose of which will be made apparent herebelow.

The retainer 15 is generally L-shaped and includes a bridging portion 71, the opposite extremities of which form the overhanging spacer portions 33 and 35. The flange 21 and tongue 23 are concurrently Iformed integral with the bridging portion 71 and a stop 73 is formed adjacent the tongue 23. When the retainer 15 is installed,

the flange 21 is first inserted into the groove-29 and when the tongue 23 is moved into engagement with the end of the inner wall 51 the tongue will ride up and over the first engaged end portion of the wall 51 flexing the bridging portion 71. The stop 73 will engage the facing side of the wall 51 and stop the tongue 23 aligned with the V-notch 31, thus enabling the resilient bridging portion 71 to urge the tongue 23 into the notch 31.

The two rear corner posts P are formed with forwardlyfacing receptacles 83 for receiving the respective rear marginal edges of the respective end plates E. The posts P also include dual confronting coextensive receptacles 85 and 87 for receiving the respective marginal outer ends of the sliding panel doors D. Resilient inserts 93 line the inner ends, or bottoms, of the receptacles 85 and 87 for cushioning the door panels D when they reach the outer ends of their respective tracks. The posts P' each include a square-shaped open-ended passage 99, similar to passages 67, the purposes of which will be set lforth presently.

Many times it is desirable to light the display case, as by a fluorescent tube 100 (FIG. 3), and to this end it is convenient to thread electrical wires 101, FIG. 2, longitudinally through the left-hand front post P. To accommodate such wire 101 a bore (not shown) is drilled through the lower portion of the bridging portion 71 and the wire is threaded therethrough and extended longitudinally upwardly through the passage 103 formed between the portion 71 and the receiver 13 to the top of the case where the light 100 is located.

Referring now to FIG. 3, wherein a vertical cross-section of the display case frame is shown, the upper and lower horizontal rear rails R and R', respectively, receive the upper and lower edges of the door panels D. The lower rear rail R' forms two coextensive upwardly-facing receptacles 121 and 123 for receiving support tracks 125 and 127, respectively. The upper rear rail R forms two downwardly-opening receptacles, opposing the receptacles 121 and 123, for receiving tracks 135 and 137, respectively. The tracks 135 and 137 each form a pair of confronting lips which cooperate to receive the upper extremity of the panel doors D, respectively The upper and lower front rails R form confronting receptacles 145 and 147, respectively, for receiving the respective upper and lower marginal edges of the front glass plate F. Each of the upper rails R and R form a longitudinally extending open-ended passage 151 having a square cross-section similar to the aforementioned passage 67. A pair of coextensive front and rear receptacle walls 153 and 155, respectively, project downwardly from the bottom wall of the passage 151 and cooperate to dene the receptacle 145. A resilient fastener wall 159 is spaced inwardly of the inner receptacle wall 155 and extends parallel therewith. A pair of opposed notches 161 and 163 are included near the extremities of the fastener wall 159 and the inner receptacle wall 155.

A fastener, generally designated 167, is connected to the rail R and holds the upper marginal edge of the front glass plate F captive. The fastener 167 includes a pair of oppositely directed angled lips for interfitting the notches 161 and 163 and a spacer portion 173 which extends past the end of the inner receptacle wall 155 and terminates in an edge that abuts the front plate F.

As shown in FIG. 3, a light holder, generally designated 175, is conveniently formed integrally with the fastener 167 and includes a vertical front wall 179 and a downwardly and rearwardly angled back wall 181. The front wall 179 is turned rearwardly on its lower extremity to include a pair of spaced apart rearwardly projecting bosses 183 and 185. The back wall includes a like pair of spaced apart yforwardly projecting bosses 187 and 189. Still referring to FIG. 3, the bosses 183, 185, 187 and 189 are arranged such that a line drawn from a point midway between the bosses 187 and 189 defines a diameter of the cylindrically shaped light 100. Thus, the light 100 can be installed by pressing it in between the bosses 183, 185, 187 and 189 and the resiliency of the holder 107 will enable-the rearwall 181 to be flexed away from the front wall 179 sufiiciently for the diameter of the light 100 to be situated itnermediate the pair of bosses 183 and 185 and the pair of bosses 187 and 189. The resiliency of the holder will thus cause the bosses 183, 185, 187 and 189 to bear'radially inwardly on the light 100 to hold it captive.

The lower front rail R is constructed similar to the upper front rail R and includes a fastener 167 which, unlike fastener 167, does not have a light holder 175 formed therewith. A support flange projects rearwardly from the bottom front rail R for supporting the front marginal edge of the display case bottom B. A similar support flange 199 projects forwardly of the bottom rear rail R for supporting the rear marginal edge of the display case bottom panel B.

With continued reference -to FIG. 3, the upper front and rear rails R and R and the upper end rails 11 are formed with confronting steps or notches 201 for receiving the marginal edges of the top glass T. Grooves 207 are formed below the notches 201 for receiving resilient inserts 211 on which the top plate T rests.

Referring-now to FIGS. 1, 4 and' 6, a three pronged joint fitting 213 is provided for securing the adjacent ends of respective longitudinal rail R or R' to an end of a respective corner post P or P and the end of a respective end rail 11 or 12. The fitting 213, as can be seen in FIG. 6, comprises threel right-angle prongs 215 which are sized for fitting into the passages 67 or 91. One prong 107 of the upper pair, as viewed in FIG. 6,of prongs is extended into the ends of a respective passage included in a respective longitudinal rail R or R and the other prong of the upper pair isextended into a similar passage formed in a respective end rail 11 or 12. The downwardly extending prong 213, as viewed in FIG. 6, is then extended into a passage 67 or 99 formed by a respective vertical post P 0r P. Screws 217 (FIG. 4) are then inserted through bores in the respective walls of the respective posts P or P' and rails R, R', 11 or 12 and are screwed into the prings 215 to secure the converged ends of such posts and rails fastened together.

When a display case utilizing the cornerposts of the present invention is to be constructed, the end plates F, doors D, front plate F and bottom B are assembled with receivers 13 and rails R, R', 11 and 12, such receivers and rails being fastened together by the corner fittings 213. The retainers 15 are then snapped into position by first inserting the flange 21 into the respective groove 29 leaving the tongues 23 unengaged from their respective notches 31. The tongues 23 are then snapped into the notches 31 by rotating the retainers 15 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 5, and when the tongues engage the end of the walls 51 they will be forced to ride up and over the wall portion on the left side of the notch 31 and when they do so the bridge portion 71 will be sprung apart slightly. When the tongues 23 are aligned confronting the notches 31 they will be snapped thereinto by the resiliency of the bridge portion 71 thus securing the retainer in position with the spacer portions 33 and 35 pressed rmly against the glass plates F or E fitted into the respective receptacles 47 and 53.

The fasteners 167 and 167 are then installed to hold the upper and lower marginal edges of the front plate 49 firmly in position. Referring to FIG. 3, the fastener 167 is installed by inserting the right lip into the groove 163 and the left end of the fastener is then pressed upwardly to cause the left lip to engage the fastener wall 159 and spring it to the left to enable the left lip to clear the inner side of the wall 159 and align with the groove 161. The resiliency of the wall 159 is sufiicient to maintain the fastener 167 captive and the spacer portion 173 pressed against the front plate F.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the display case cornerposts of present invention are convenient to manufacture by extruding methods. They are also convenient and rapid to assemble and provide firm support for the display case plates. In addition, various retainers having different length spacer portions can easily be interchanged with receivers for retaining various glass plates having different thicknesses.

I claim: 1. A display case cornerpost for holding a pair of glass plates at an angle to each other, said post comprising:

an elongated receiver extending longitudinaly of the adjacent edges of said plates and formed with a first pair of co-extensive walls defining a first receptacle for receiving the marginal edge of one of said pair of plates, the inner wall terminating in an extremity which defines a ange-receiving groove, said receiver also being formed with a second pair of co-extensive walls cooperating to define a receptacle for receiving the adjacent marginal edge of the other plate, the inner wall of said second pair terminating in an extremity which defines a tongue-receiving notch; and an elongated retainer extending longitudinally of said receiver and including a flange engageable with said groove, a tongue engageable with said notch, a resilient bridging portion connecting said ange and tongue together, said bridging portion being sufliciently flexible to enable said flange to be inserted in said groove, said bridging portion to be then flexed to enable said tongue to clear the extremity of said second mentioned inner wall for registration with said notch to cooperate with said flange` to h old said retainer captive in said receiver, said retainer further including first and second spacer portions projecting beyond said respective flange and notch and into said respective first and second receptacles to hold said respective first and second plates in position when said retainer is connected with said receiver. 2. A display case cornerpost as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said tongue and notch are complementally V-shaped in cross section. 3. A display case cornerpost as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bridging portion is L-shaped in cross section. 4. A display case cornerpost as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bridging portion, ange, tongue and spacer portions are integrally formed. 5. A display case cornerpost as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said retainer includes a stop engageable with the side of said first mentioned inner wall when said tongue registers with said groove.

6. A display case cornerpost as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

a light holder supported from said retainer.

7. A display case cornerpost as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bridging portion cooperates with said receiver to form a conduit.

8. A display case cornerpost for supporting the edge of a glass plate and adapted to hold a light element having a circular cross section, said post comprising:

a receiver including a pair of front and rear walls forming a receptacle for the marginal edge of a plate glass, an inner wall spaced inwardly of said rear wall, said rear and inner walls forming opposed lipreceiving notches;

a retainer forming oppositely directed lips spaced apart for engagement with said notches, said retainer further forming a spacer portion projecting forwardly beyond said rear Wall and terminating in an edge spaced from said front wall a distance suicient to tightly receive the marginal edge of said glass plate; and

a light holder supported from said retainer and including a resilient bracket formed with one extremity proiecting on one end of a diameter of said element and the opposite extremity projecting on the opposite end of said diameter, a first pair of bosses near one extremity of said bracket and spaced equidistant on either side of said diameter for engaging said element, a second pair of bosses near the opposite extremity of said bracket and spaced equidistant on either side of said diameter for engagement with said element, said bracket being suiiiciently resilient to be flexed outwardly at its extremities to enable said element to be inserted between said pairs of bosses and to urge said pairs of bosses radially nwardly along said diameter and pressed against said light element to hold it captive.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,008,741 11/ 1961 MacCormack S12-140 3,199,258 8/1965 Ientoft et al. 52-282 3,310,923 3/ 1967 De Ridder 52-502 FRANK L. ABBO'IT, Primary Examiner S. D. BURKE III, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

